Watch a Pinzgauer Military 6x6 Bang and Bounce Down Schöckl Mountain

How often do you get to ride in a six-wheel military truck on an Austrian mountain that rivals the Rubicon Trail for transparent off-road ruggedness? These opportunities are precious, so the answer is easy: Unless you're prone to motion sickness, go for it!

The Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer was developed for the Austrian armed forces to tackle the most difficult terrain, and it was produced from 1971 to 1999 in Graz, Austria, in the Steyr-Daimler-Puch plant that is now owned by Magna Steyr.

That's where the Mercedes G-Class has been built since 1979, along with more than four million vehicles on a contract assembly basis for 11 different automakers.

The all-business Pinzgauer was pressed into military service in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and elsewhere. It's named for the Pinzgauer cattle, which inhabits the mountainous Pinzgau region of Austria.

More than 30,000 Pinzgauers (4x4, 6x6, with gasoline or diesel engines) were built in Graz until production in Graz ended in 1999.

This particular diesel 6x6, weighing in at about 8,500 pounds, was built by Magna Steyr in Graz in 2011 from leftover parts, many years after Pinzgauer production was sold to Automotive Technik LTD in Great Britain and continued.

Power comes from a 110-hp Volkswagen D2014 inline six-cylinder engine placed behind the front seats, sending 177 lb-ft of torque to the wheels through a four-speed ZF transmission. The interior is spartan but comfortable for the driver and front-row passenger, with three more forward-facing seats in back.

Further back, in the cargo hold, are two small benches that fold down from the side panels, facing each other. There are grab handles everywhere, and passengers quickly put them to use.

Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer

Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer

Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer Undercarriage

Yes, the Pinzgauer has a massive spine to support the vehicle frame.

Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer

Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer

These tires are punished mercilessly.

Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer Badging

Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer Undercarriage

Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer Undercarriage

All hail inverted leaf springs!

Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer Grille

Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer

Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer Interior

Lots of place to hold on.

Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer Interior

Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer Interior

Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer Interior

Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer Interior

Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer Interior

Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer Interior

Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer Interior

Diesel engine sits below this vinyl cover.

Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer Interior

Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer Interior

Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer Interior

Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer Interior

Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer Interior

This carpeted foot stool really helps passengers lock in for the bumpy ride.

Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer Interior

Padding in all the right places.

Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer Interior

Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer Interior

Padding in all the right places.

Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer Interior

Third row with inward facing bench seats.

Nowadays, this particular Pinzgauer gets to stretch its legs every so often on Schöckl Mountain near Graz, where an elite few Magna Steyr technicians are trained to drive it and other rugged off-roaders up and down a series of extremely challenging trails, all of them exposing massive rocks that would destroy a mainstream crossover that today disguises as an SUV.

During a recent visit, we rode up the mountain in a capable Mercedes G-wagen that scampered up this unforgiving terrain with no problem at all.

But the ride down in the Pinzgauer was quite a bit faster—as you'll see in the raw video, shot with a smartphone held in one hand while the other clutched an overhead grab handle as tightly as possible.

On this downhill run, the engine and drivetrain whine are a visceral part of the experience. And although the Pinzgauer's speedometer might say 35 mph, it feels and sounds more like 60.

Enjoy the ride.